


The Defense Job

by sophoklesworld



Series: The Job Chronicles [5]
Category: Leverage
Genre: Boston, Episode: s04e11 The Experimental Job, Harvard, Multi, Post-Episode: s04e11, it's boston, there are a lot of reason's i love this episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-01
Updated: 2016-03-01
Packaged: 2018-05-24 05:16:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6142676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophoklesworld/pseuds/sophoklesworld
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eliot needs to protect his family. If he's not there to protect them, he needs them to protect themselves. Because he will come for them. But they need to hold on until he does.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Defense Job

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Shadowcat221b](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowcat221b/gifts).



> Just a quick drabble. I didn't watch the episode in a while, but I love it (for sentimental reasons; I miss Boston).  
> I hope I didn't confuse anything major.
> 
> Shadowcat221b, this is a reminder that I love you.
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy!

Eliot found Parker and Hardison at Panera’s, down the street. Of course they wouldn’t be at Starbucks which was literally across the street on Harvard Square, but walk along the old fences of the campus.

On the ground floor were only three small booths which were empty but Eliot had a feeling that they’d be upstairs anyway, no matter if Starbucks or Panera. Parker loved the height and they had a better view from the higher level.

 

When Eliot reached the top of the stairs, he spotted his friends easily. They were cramped together at a small table, wall at their backs so they were still able to look through the window. There were three cups of coffee sitting on the table and Eliot moved over with a grateful smile.

 

He let himself fall into a chair across from them and took them in. They looked alright. Still glowing a little from a job well done. Hardison still had a little trail of blood on his face. Eliot hated to see that, see his boy hurt.

Hardison and Parker had grown on him so much, that he worried about every bruise they got. He shouldn’t be that attached to them. It wasn’t good. But he was attached and now he couldn’t change it. The only thing he could do, was to do everything he could to protect them. The only way he knew how to do this, was stay. For the first time in his life, he’d stay. It wasn’t like settling down, not like it would've been with Aimee. Even if it would've been so much easier to just turn around and leave, he knew the team wouldn’t stop, so he needed to be there, to keep them safe. It was his job, after all. A small voice in his head told him, that it wasn’t only his job. It was his heart’s desire, too.  
He knew that staying wouldn’t be enough, though. He couldn’t always be directly at their sides. There was more to his job. So he had started to train them.

Had taught Parker how to choke people, by wrapping her strong legs tightly around a throat. It was endearing how much fun he had, (not so) playfully incapacitating Hardison.

And he taught Hardison how to throw a blow into an attacker’s jaw so they wouldn’t get up anytime soon.  
He taught them the basics. But the basics also included the most important things. Defense. Not everything was about attack. The first line of defense was the most important, the other stuff they would still have time to learn if he could make them survive that long. That was his plan. And judging by the way Hardison moved, he took quite the beating to his abdomen.  
And Eliot knew, he had done exactly as Eliot had told him.

He was quite sure, that his voice had burned itself into Hardison’s head by now.

_“Dammit, Hardison, defense!”_

***

_They’ve had been bickering a lot that day._

_“If you are ever in trouble, Hardison, don’t play the hero, okay? If you’re overpowered, do not try to fight them. Protect yourself. Roll yourself together to protect as much of your body as you can, and put your arms over your head. Your head’s the most important, alright?”_

_“Because it’s pretty?” Hardison had asked him in this cocky voice that made Eliot want to fuck him, hard, make him comply._  
_He hadn’t, of course - not back then. Instead, he had said “No, because you still need it to live.” After a moment, he had quietly added, “and I’d hate if you lost these braincells of yours.”_

_Hardison had laughed a little, but deflated at Eliot's seriousness._

_“Please, Hardison. Promise me, you won’t play the hero. Promise me that if you’re ever in a situation like that, you will keep your head down, and protect yourself at all costs. Promise me because I promise you, I’ll come for you. I will always come for you.”_

***

But he hadn’t come for Hardison this time. Well, theoretically, he did. But he hadn’t been on time, had he? He could only be glad that Parker got there soon enough.

 

He hated himself a little, for not being there. Eventually, he had gotten to them, of course. If he had only _known_ that something was wrong. He could’ve protected them.

 

But both Hardison and Parker looked at him with this soft gleam in their eyes and smiled softly at him. He knew they didn’t think he let them down. Rationally, he knew they were right.

He still didn’t like it.

No one hurt Hardison if he could prevent it. He’d try harder from now on.


End file.
